Yesterday, a Christian aquaintance of mine posted a FB link to a sermon with the following text: "Are u going to believe the facts, or the Promises ? NEVER let the facts override the Promises ! : ) Awesome teaching!"

The sermon's about Sarah, a 65-year-old barren woman to whom god promises a son. Of course, she doubts. Of course, she conceives anyway--when she's 90. The point is, the preacher says, we shouldn't be using our "human perspective" to discern god's miracles. If you're locked into the facts, you're locked into the natural. If you pay too much attention to the facts, you can't move to the supernatural, which can only be attained through faith.

Sort of a built-in argument against ANY natural fact or evidence. How can you possibly get through that wall of unreason? How can anyone expect to talk sense to anyone who says, "Ignore facts. Ignore your perception. Believe the *unsubstantiated* promises."

I'm sure if the church were handing out loans they might see things differently.

"Yea I'll pay you back on this loan for a million dollars. Nevermind that I have a history of not paying back a penny on loans. Those are just pesky facts but I promise to pay back this loan. You just gotta have faith that God will somehow give me a million dollars to pay back this loan."

No wonder most Christians are Republicans. Those facts keep getting in the way...you know climate change, political claims, etc. FOX News could not exist if they had to rely on facts. Ignore the man behind the curtain...just keep believing.

Sort of a built-in argument against ANY natural fact or evidence. How can you possibly get through that wall of unreason? How can anyone expect to talk sense to anyone who says, "Ignore facts. Ignore your perception. Believe the *unsubstantiated* promises."

The same problem exists in politics.

It's a nice synthetic blend of "trust your leaders"

Logged

When I criticize political parties or candidates, I am not criticizing you. If I criticize you, there will be no doubt in your mind as to what I am saying.

Actually, that bit about loans would be an effective way to torpedo the whole line of 'reasoning'. None of those people giving sermons would be too eager to give out a huge loan to someone based on promises of repayment, especially if the facts didn't support it.

Logged

Nullus In Verba, aka "Take nobody's word for it!" If you can't show it, then you don't know it.

Actually, that bit about loans would be an effective way to torpedo the whole line of 'reasoning'. None of those people giving sermons would be too eager to give out a huge loan to someone based on promises of repayment, especially if the facts didn't support it.

This makes me think of The Tick:"And, isn't sanity really just a one-trick pony anyway? I mean all you get is one trick - rational thinking - but when you're good and crazy, oooh, oooh, oooh, the sky is the limit!"

Logged

"When we landed on the moon, that was the point where god should have come up and said 'hello'. Because if you invent some creatures, put them on the blue one and they make it to the grey one, you f**king turn up and say 'well done'."